Last week a group of anti-fracking activists took the extreme step of super-gluing themselves to the doors of a government office in a bid to bring attention to their cause.

While super-glue may be one tactic, there are many ways of making a point.

Cambridge has seen numerous protests – including a major one last year when around 500 Unite Against Fascism protestors met to oppose a rally by the far-right English Defence League (EDL).

One veteran animal rights activist has seen at least four decades of the evolution of demonstrations and marches in the UK. But when it comes to righting alleged wrongs, Joan Court from Animal Rights Cambridge (ARC) prefers direct action.

An example is Cambridge Anti-Bloodsports, a local hunt saboteur group. Members use a range of tactics from mimicking sounds of the hunt to using sprays to cover scents.

“We owe a lot to undercover people,” said Ms Court, referring to activists who integrate themselves into organisations to find and collect evidence. When trying to raise awareness of animal rights issues, she found that getting attention isn’t easy.

“On the whole you have to make a nuisance of yourself before you get noticed,” said the 95-year-old, famous for hunger strikes, locking herself in a cage and chaining herself to railings. “Raising consciousness is exceptionally important. It’s no good doing a demonstration unless you have the publicity.”

Ms Court and another activist from ARC, Sue Hughes, agreed that generating a positive relationship with the public is necessary. Ms Hughes prefers quiet protests over noisy ones.

“You’ve always got some loose canons, swearing. People are put off by that,” she said.

“You want to win over the public – inform them. Silent protests are nice, when we just stand with explicit pictures. Those are powerful.”

She added that informative pamphlets, posters and banners are important protest tools.

ARC also uses street theatre and stalls to inform the public.

Holding a protest event is relatively straightforward, said Ms Hughes. The local authorities like it well organised, with demonstration stewards.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary encourages anyone wanting to protest to contact the force so they identify any potential issues and help prevent negative impact on businesses and the community. When a protest involves a march the police must be notified about the date, time and route, with the names and addresses of the organisers in writing six days before.

For the Cambridge People’s Assembly Against Austerity, these laws are a discouragement.

Maud, a representative for the group who declined to share her last name, said: “We always stay in one place. Then we don’t need police approval. We restrict ourselves a bit because anyone considered annoying on the street could be arrested.”

The young organisation prefers using music and the internet to drum up awareness.

“We reuse well-known protest songs where we change the lines to suit Cambridge. It also really helps to communicate through Facebook.”

When asked whether they’d resort to hunger strikes Maud replied: “I don’t think they want people to put their health on the line, but we know that being arrested can be a tactic.”

The group prefers to stage events to discuss world problems.

Maud added: “Sometimes it’s important to be against something, but sometimes it’s good to have an open, low-key event where people can discuss things.”